Ask ten contractors what a 4-bedroom duplex costs and you’ll get ten different numbers, most of them guesses dressed up as quotes. The honest answer is that cost comes from quantities, not vibes.
Here’s how a real estimate is built, using the same logic we put in every bill of quantities we issue.
Start with quantity times rate, always
Every line in a proper estimate is a quantity multiplied by a rate. Square metres of blockwork times the rate per square metre. Cubic metres of concrete times the rate per cubic metre. Anyone quoting you a round number with no quantities behind it is guessing, and you’ll pay for that guess later.
Where the money actually goes
On a typical mid-size residential build, structural work (foundation, blockwork, concrete) usually takes the largest single share, followed by roofing and carpentry, then finishing, then electrical and plumbing together. Equipment like water treatment or solar adds a separate, clearly priced block on top.
What moves the price the most
Three things swing a budget more than anything else: the size of the building, the quality of finishes you choose, and how far your site is from a major materials market. Neither choice is wrong. The point is knowing which one you’re paying for.
Why we don’t quote a number on this page
Material prices move, sometimes by the month. Any fixed figure we published here would be stale within a quarter. What doesn’t move is the method: send us your drawings or your idea, and you’ll get a full bill of quantities within five working days, priced against current rates, with VAT itemised and the total split into three stages.
That’s a real number, attached to real quantities you can check line by line.